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Parkinson's Support Group to learn about fall prevention

FALLBROOK –Anyone interested is invited to join the monthly Fallbrook Parkinson's Support Group meeting, Friday March 24, 10 a.m. to noon at the Fallbrook Regional Health and Wellness Center, 1636 E. Mission Road.

This month’s speaker will be 101 Mobility owners Kindra French, Certified Aging in Place Specialist and Senior Home Safety Specialist, and Bill Marsh, who will talk about “Neutralizing the Danger Zones: Reducing your risk of a fall at home.”

The National Institute of Health reports falls are a significant cause of disability, lost independence and reduced quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Prospective studies show that between 45% and 68% of people with PD will fall each year, with a large proportion (50–86%) falling recurrently. In addition, their risk of falls and fractures rise steadily from 40 years of age, much earlier than in healthy individuals.

The consequences of falls are devastating and include restriction of activities of daily living, fear of falling, high levels of caregiver stress and injuries. In fact, the incidence of hip fracture is four times that for older people of the same age without PD.

This has significant economic consequences as the costs of fall-related fractures in people with PD are close to double those in healthy older people.

Many risk factors for falls in PD have been identified. These include freezing of gait (FOG), cognitive impairment, poor leaning balance, previous falls, lower limb weakness and slow gait speed.

In addition, people with PD with the postural instability and gait with the postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) subtype have also been identified as having an increased risk of falls.

101 Mobility of San Diego is a locally owned and operated company that sells and installs stairlifts, platform lifts, wheelchair ramps, patient lifts and offers free home assessments to adapt a home to its owner’s changing needs. Marsh and French will be speaking on "Neutralizing the Danger Zones" to reduce the fall risk at home.

101 Mobility is the largest full-line provider of mobility and accessibility equipment in the nation, and works with families across the country to help loved ones to be safe and independent at home, http://www.101mobility.com/sandiego.

In addition to the speaker presentation, breakout groups held for a time of sharing, coffee and refreshments will follow the program.

This meeting is held in support of persons with Parkinson's disease, care partners and people interested in improving the world of those affected by Parkinson’s disease.

For more information, call Irene, 760-731-0171 or Lorie, 760-453-3045 or email [email protected].

Submitted by the Fallbrook Parkinson's Support Group.

 

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